..to think I ruined my surgery application photos?

[Gannicusthemannicus]

I'm currently waiting for a decision on my application for NHS funding for lower jaw advancement surgery.

I have a very short lower jaw, so that when my back teeth are together I have no chin at all, and it is quite severe. Due to bullying throughout my younger years, I got into the habit of pulling my jaw forward to 'fix' this. Eventually I managed to see a consultant, who believes the surgery is the only option for me, and I could be an exemption to the NHS funding cut off point as it is severe.

However, in all of the photos they took for the application I forgot to pull my jaw back in!

AIBU to spend weeks convinced I've ruined any chance of getting my jaw fixed?

Or pay for it yourself?

Just send the photos in again.

Sorry, I should have added - if I can't get it funded, I can't afford the surgery. It's a case of having the surgery in the next 2 years, or not at all.

My consultant is of the opinion that without the surgery, the future problems it will cause will cost the NHS more than the funding I'm asking for now.

Contact them via your consultant or direct and tell them exactly what you've said here about compensating by pulling it in and send new pics of when you're not. Far more productive than sitting worrying for weeks

Good luck x

If you're applying for an IFR due to clinical need need (in your case a deteriorating condition) then the photos will be less important than the condition and the analysis of it.

If it is for cosmetic surgery which provides no clinical value but is being put forward due to your mental health then they matter more but honestly I don't think you would be successful as the criteria is SO high in that regard.

Or pay for it yourself?

Do you not think that if this was an option, the OP would have bloody well booked the surgery already?

My Dd has had all her photos done by the surgeon. Did your surgeon not do this?

I have had double jaw surgery on the nhs, even though aesthetically my jaw looks fine. For the clinicians it's more about what is going on inside your mouth and whether this will cause ant deterioration in the future.
Before my jaw surgery, apart from the look if my teeth, you could never tell by looking at me that I had jaw probpems, but actually they were very severe.
Your consultants notes so tell the panel what they need to hear. I wouldn't worry too much about the pictures!

Apologies for the typos! Interfering toddler!

The photos were taken in the hospital, by the photographer so I don't think I can send more in - my consultant immediately noticed that I pull my jaw forward in the initial meeting so hopefully that will be noted in the application.

And I can't be sure, but I think it is a clinical application from the way the surgeon was speaking. Nothing has been asked about my feelings about my jaw, it's all been focused on the pain, difficulty sleeping, headaches etc.

I had jaw problems, but nobody could tell. All people thought I had were misaligned teeth and braces would fix it. I needed jaw surgery although you wouldn't notice a problem with my jaw.
The photos wont be everything, they'll have been/will be other thorough examinations that'll give them the full picture.

Good luck!

Also, not my field but assume X-rays will have been taken as well? They'll be way more important if it is a clinical issue so really don't worry.

Can you re-contact the hospital (or your consultant) and explain that part of the psychological effect of your short lower jaw has been to make you feel self-conscious about it and 'self-correct' the problem, and say that you have noticed you are doing this in the photos they have taken?

The NHS do take the psychological impact seriously and this would also then show how you are compensating in daily life because of your self-consciousness about the issue.

I hope it works out for you and as a PP says, there'll be more evidence that just the pics though I agree that they are probably quite significant in lieu of actually seeing you physically.

But what do you mean that you forgot to pull your jaw back in? So you mean it looks as though you have a typical jaw?

I think the consultants recommendation will hold more weight than the photo.

Yes, they took xrays and models of the teeth as well, so hopefully that will show the issue as well. I'm going to call the department to tell them I am concerned as well, as it would be frustrating to get so far and for a photo to let me down.

With the jaw, I sort of lock my bottom front teeth over the top ones so the jaw can't slide back, but it still doesn't look like a typical jaw. It looks much better, but still too short.